Geo: 39.9439, 32.856So, we made it to Ismir. We had to find our way from the international terminal to the domestic terminal. These terminals are not connected, so it was a bit of a hike. Along the way we successfully bought our visas ($20 each, cash) and made it through customs. Josh was very excited to seek nanzar bonjuks all over the place. These are traditional symbols to ward off the evil eye. Each of the kids traveled with one pinned to their shirts and they thought it was cool that I was right, and that they do really have them in Turkey. If you ever have to change planes in Ismir, the international terminal is a much better place to hang out than the domestic terminal. Only 10 minutes delayed, we caught a Turkish Airlines ... read more

Geo: 38.8921, -77.0241The bags are packed and we are ready to go. After a week in West Dover, VT, we are headed for JFK tomorrow. We'll catch the sunrise somewhere over the Pacific and be in Munich for breakfast. It will be either a late lunch or early dinner in Ankara. I found what looked like a pretty cool boutique hotel in Ankara, but decided against staying there because we would have had to split into two rooms. It's just a hunch, but I think the disorientation from the plane trip and the strangeness of a new country are enough to tackle without having to sleep in a room away from Mom. So I decided to go with an American hotel chain that let me book four of us into a room with two (iki--Turkish for ... read more

Geo: 38.8921, -77.0241Today we had an appointment with C. Bruce Norman at the Travel Clinic at Henrico Doctors' Hospital. In addition to our "standard" immunizations, we opted to receive an immunization against Typhoid Fever. While the chances of getting typhoid are not good, it is recommended for "risk averse" travellers who will have an extended stay in Turkey. Since "risk averse" describes me to a "T," we ponied up the $ for the shots. It is also available as a series of pills, but the shot seemed much easier. Ms. Norman is a consummate professional and was able to speak confidently about the region and briefed us on the primary the health concerns. Rabies is the big one, so we all discussed leaving cute, furry animals alone. We also got to see some new syringes that ... read more